APStylebook

Our new AP Stylebook, 58th Edition, is coming out at the end of May. Want the fastest, easiest way to catch up on what's new? Sign up now for our AP Stylebook Workshop. The final live webinar of Master the Mechanics will feature Stylebook Editor Anna Jo Bratton reviewing new and updated entries in our new book. Your workshop registration includes access to AP Stylebook Online, so you can review all those changes yourself, too. store.stylebooks.com/ap-stylebook-w…

When you're busy, it can be hard to carve out time to learn new things. You're too focused on your to-do list. Here's one manageable way to learn AP style: Subscribe to AP Stylebook Study Guides and schedule about 10 minutes each week to take a couple of quick quizzes. The automated scoring won't just tell you whether your answers were right. They point to the related Stylebook rule so you can see the guidance that applies. Get started now: store.stylebooks.com/ap-stylebook-s…

March Madness is capitalized in all references to the yearly college basketball championships for men and women. Both terms are capitalized in NCAA Tournament, which is acceptable in all references to the National Collegiate Athletic Association's championships. These capitalized popular names are acceptable: Sweet 16 for regional playoffs, Elite Eight for regional finals and Final Four for national semifinals.

@MerriamWebster @SandyforCouncil Merriam-Webster is our primary dictionary and we follow their lead on many definitions and styles, but on some entries, we go our own way. We don't actually have an entry on St. Patrick's Day but we did tweet this guidance back in 2011.

@bathbinch @SandyforCouncil Great question! Probably because dictionaries and style guides have different goals.

'St. Paddy's Day' is usually preferred over 'St. Patty's Day.' 'Paddy' is the shortened form of the original Irish spelling of 'Patrick,' which is 'Pádraig.' 'Patty' is the shortened form of 'Patricia.'

Our primary dictionary, @Merriam-Webster, shows that it's four-leaf clover for the traditional good luck charm. Note that four and leaf are hyphenated as a compound modifier for clover, and it's a singular leaf not leafed.

Time is running out on our deeply discounted bundle for both AP Stylebook Workshops in 2026. Sign up now to get both in-depth courses for $350. You'll learn about AP style directly from the editors who set our guidance, plus you'll get to discuss your questions and challenges with other writing and editing professionals. We hope to see you there! store.stylebooks.com/ap-stylebook-w…

Investigators called a device used in an attack on the New York City mayor’s home an “improvised explosive device.” The Stylebook says, in part: “IED is acceptable on second reference. Roadside bomb is preferable.” We decided to use the terms “homemade explosive” or “ homemade bomb,” which police confirmed were accurate. Following AP style means using judgment and choosing clear language. Always think of your audience first. apnews.com/article/new-yo…

We're in the home stretch preparing the AP Stylebook, 58th Edition, to go to press. Editor Anna Jo Bratton and her team completed the manuscript and we're finalizing the cover design with AP's creative department. Our new book will go on sale on May 27 on apstylebook.com.

The Stylebook has a detailed entry about oil that begins: In shipping, oil and oil products normally are measured by the ton. For news stories, convert these tonnage figures to gallons. There are 42 gallons to each barrel of oil. The number of barrels per ton varies, depending on the type of oil product. apnews.com/article/iran-w…

An embassy is the official office of an ambassador in a foreign country and the office that handles the political relations of one nation with another. A consulate, the office of a consul in a foreign city, handles the commercial affairs and personal needs of citizens of the appointing country. Capitalize with the name of a nation; lowercase without it: the U.S. Embassy, the embassy.

If you're looking for work, you've probably noticed how many job postings list AP style knowledge as a requirement. One great way to demonstrate you've got the goods is to enroll in the AP Stylebook Workshop. You'll get a certificate of completion after you finish the course, and you'll get a badge you can display on LinkedIn. Show hiring managers that you've put in the work to know AP style well. Join us this spring. store.stylebooks.com/ap-stylebook-w…

Always use the full name Dow Jones Industrial Average on first reference in stories. On subsequent references, use the Dow. The market indicator includes 30 leading U.S. stocks. apnews.com/article/stock-…

Stylebook editor Anna Jo Bratton was hard at work this weekend, reviewing our guidance on when we use the word "war" and what our assassination entry says. If you need timely insights around the language of complex events, subscribe to AP Stylebook Online. We emailed customers this week with our new entry on the Iran war, and users can check new entries and updates any time on the Stylebook dashboard. store.stylebooks.com/apstylebookonl…

Our prefix entry offers three broad rules for prefixes: * Use a hyphen if the prefix ends in a vowel and the word that follows begins with the same vowel. Exceptions: cooperate, coordinate, and double-e combinations such as preestablish, preeminent, reenact, reelect. *Use a hyphen if the word that follows is capitalized: un-American, for example. * Use a hyphen to join doubled prefixes: sub-subparagraph. It notes that the prefix mid- follows our general guidance, with the additional note to use a hyphen when a figure follows, such as mid-30s. So midterm does not take a hyphen, like midsemester or midair, but mid-Atlantic does. apnews.com/live/election-…

A trademark is a brand, symbol, word, etc., used by a manufacturer or dealer and protected by law to prevent a competitor from using it: AstroTurf, for a type of artificial grass, for example. In general, AP style advises using a generic equivalent unless the trademark name is essential to the story. We do not use tm, r or c to indicate registered trademarks or copyrighted material. apnews.com/article/trump-…

Capitalize "fashion week" in an official name, such as New York Fashion Week or London Fashion Week. apnews.com/photo-gallery/…

Capitalize all words in the name of a designated or branded day, week, month or other time period, such as Black History Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, World Religion Day, International Women’s Day. Lowercase the time period in informal descriptions: Memorial Day weekend, Christmas week.

Sign up for the AP Stylebook Workshop this spring and you'll learn directly from the Stylebook's editors -- plus Grammar Girl herself, Mignon Fogarty, who will join us as a presenter. We're fangirling a little over here. Register now if you get it. store.stylebooks.com/ap-stylebook-w…

If you ask your search engine or AI tool for AP style guidance, maybe you'll get the right answer. You might also get outdated guidance or a hallucination. Subscribe to AP Stylebook Online and you can trust that you're getting accurate, up-to-date AP style. store.stylebooks.com/apstylebookonl…

Jesse Jackson helped popularize the term African American. The AP does not hyphenate dual-heritage terms, including African American and Asian American. apnews.com/article/jesse-…